8 THE WEEKEND NEOS KOSMOS | SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2016 DIGITAL.NEOSKOSMOS.COM PANOS APOSTOLOU Supporting support groups The Greek and Gay Support Network’s establishment twenty-one years ago taught us one thing; it takes a lot of courage and nerve to stand against bias, conservatism, backwardness, religious totalitarianism and mainly, homophobia In the 1990s, after many efforts to raise awareness and secure equality, the Australian society had become relatively open not only to the gay community but also towards the weighty issues they had been facing, such as the spreading of a disease that came to be known as AIDS. The country's health policy started from the grassroots up, right after the first Australian death from AIDS occurred in Melbourne back in July 1983. While the disease was not even making it in the news in Africa in the Americas, headlines the likes of "gay cancer", "gay pneumonia" and "gay plague" were a daily phenomenon until the official acronym, "GayRelated Immune Deficiency" (GRID), was established and in a sense pushed gay people off the grid. At the same time the disease was spreading rapidly in the rest of the world; in Australia, the taming of AIDS had been swift, however, the "grid mentality" had infected public opinion equating sex between two men with HIV. It was in fact at the Victoria AIDS Council (VAC), an egalitarian community located in South Yarra which up to this day, offers support to the city's gays, where the first meetings of the Greek and Gay Support Network took place. Taking part in a support group for young gay people at the VAC for those aged between 15 to 21 seemed like a good way for young Greek gay people to connect with the broader community. An Italian gay group that had been running at the VAC for a long time before the Greek and Gay one, helped with the establishment in 1995. The only publicity they would receive was through the gay press of the time. Meanwhile, an anonymous article appeared in Neos Kosmos, inviting Greek gays to participate in the newly born movement. The first meeting did take place but finding an identity was not a walk in the park. There was no one at the helm of the group and very few people could be recognised as the instigators of the group. Up until that point, people would just come in, identify as Greek and exchange ideas. Within the group itself there were several conservative voices of Greek origin telling them off; they were questioning the need for such a group to exist, questioning why the gays of Greek background had to set themselves apart from the rest of the Australian gay movements, networks and support groups. Maria Katsonis Time has proven, however, that the need for such a group, where homosexual individu- als of the same ethical and religious background can come together, was and is imperative, not to mention supporting such groups. Four of the movements ambassadors explain why: Maria Katsonis, ambassador for beyondblue, senior executive at the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, author of the memoir 'The Good Greek Girl': "My view is that it is still difficult to be Greek and LGBTI in 2016, irrespective of generations, because of our cultural norms and the stigma associated with being gay. Compare the number of 'out' models in the general community with the absence of visibility in the Greek community. Younger generations of Greeks still need support to navigate the cultural minefield of being Greek and LGBTI. For this reason, Greek and Gay has a valuable role to play, not least of which is fusing together our cultural and LGBTI identities so we can be authentic at all levels. By the way, I'll be at the 21st celebration with my 80-year-old uncle and 75-year-old aunt who are looking forward to a 'horo' (dance) with a twist." Helen Apostolopoulos, member of the Greek Australian Lesbians (GALS): "In May 2002, the Greek-Australian Lesbians (GALS) support group was created. I have been a member of the GALS for more than a decade and a significant number of girls approached me during these years. I think support groups are needed in terms of reaching out to us. On a social level, these groups need to exist. There are a lot of girls that haven't come out and are still in the closet and we are here to support them in any way. The girls' group is very discreet, we don't advocate gossip, it's a discreet and confidential group, we don't exchange our real names in the group but just a phone number and I have many girls calling me for support. The members' number of the group is quite steady and we are preparing our own website. I do believe that the younger generations are more open-minded and they are ready to come out. I have nieces and nephews that are open-minded. Since there is no acceptance from our religion, they will never be able to progress to a certain point. Our parents know about us and about our sexual preferences. They don't care up to the point it won't be known within the Greek community. We don't push them to come out, and one of the main principles of the group is confidentiality and above all respect." Alex Bartzis